Spring bracer



Oct. 10, 1950 R. COVER spams BRACER Filed Dec. 19, 1945 ENVENTOR l y wa e! fa! ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 10, 950

UN [TED STATES PAT E-NT F FICE ,S PRING BRACER.

Raymond Cover, Springdale, Conn. Application December 19, 1945, Serial No. 635,848

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a spring are support.

Those skilled in the art appreciate full well that the usual leaf spring used on automobile frames gradually loses its spring qualities. This is the reason why automobiles ride hard after several years, regardless of whether or not they have been driven considerable distances. My invention relates to a device that is useful in supporting parts of a leaf spring so as to help maintain the arc shape of the spring and 13v bolster it for proper action.

In brief, my invention comprises a bowed spring-like leaf preferably of substantially the same width as the leaf spring with which it is to cooperate. It is applied with the end portions thereof in contact with the ends of at least two spaced leaves of a leaf spring and with its central portion spaced from the spring and the intermediate leaf or leaves. Thereafter, by the considerable tightening of a shackle, the bowed spring-like leaf is drawn towards the leaf spring until it contacts bodily the intermediate leaf or leaves of the spring between the two spaced leaves initially contacted thereby. It is obvious that in this position its spring-like qualities are utilized to maintain in arc shape the leaf spring to which it is applied and to bolster as a group the series of leaves of the spring with which it is in contact.

I realize full well that bowed spring-like device have been applied to leaf springs, but they have been used to contact the leaves of a leaf spring in such a manner as to separate and inhibit the action of the said leaves from the remainder of the spring, and not to maintain in bowed shape a series of leaves that are in contact relation to one another. These prior art devices are therefore incapable of contributing the results of my invention.

I have thus outlined the general nature of my invention and its relation to the prior art in order that the description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that my contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of my invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject of the claims appended hereto. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception on which my disclosure is based, may readily be utilized by those skilled in the art as the basis for the designing of other structures for carrying out the several purposes of my invention.

Referring now to the drawings, Fig. l is an elevation of a portion of a spring illustrating my 2 invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a section taken along lines 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view showing the natural shape of my bowed springlike leaf.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, reference numeral Ill indicates the main frame of an automobile having a spring shackle to which is secured one end of a spring S having a series of leaves I2, l3, I4 and I5, plus additional leaves to which reference need not be made. A pair of shackles l6 secure the spring to the rear end drive assembly I! in a conventional manner.

The bowed spring leaf of my invention is designated by reference numeral l8 and its normal shape is best shown in Fig. 3. It is adapted to be brought into engagement with the spring S by a U-bolt l9 threaded at 2|] and 2i for a pair of nuts 22. An assembly plate 23 that is bored at 24 for the legs of the U-bolt I9 is the intermediary through which the nuts 22 act to pull the leaf l8 into its proper operating position.

The leaf I8 is first applied to the spring as shown in the dash and dotted lines of Fig. 1 with its ends resting against the leaves [2 and I5. By a tightening of the nuts 22 the leaf I8 is gradually brought into the full line position of Fig. 1 and into contact with the ends of the leaves l3 and M. It is now quite obvious that the leaf [8 acts through its spring qualities to maintain the several leaves l2-l'5 in proper bowed relation and well reinforced individually and as a group for effective action. By actual test of several hundreds of devices, I have found that my invention is extremely effective and contributes remark-able riding quality to old automobiles.

I believe that the nature of my invention and its action will now be fully understood by those skilled in this art.

I now claim:

1. A spring are support for a conventional laminated leaf spring comprising a bowed springlike leaf having opposed free end portions in free bearing contact, through the actual bowed shape of said leaf, with the smooth surfaces of certain of the leaves of a laminated leaf spring in which the leaves so contacted by the arc support are spaced one from. the other by at least two intermediate leaves of said leaf spring, and bolt means secured centrally of said bowed leaf spring and maintaining the central portion of said bowed spring-like leaf in pressure contact with said leaf spring against the normal bow of said bowed leaf and holding its said central portion against said two intermediate leaves as well as the said 7 I spring and maintaining the central portion of said bowed spring-like leaf in pressure contact with said leaf spring against the normal bow of said bowed leaf and holding its said centralportion against said intermediate leaf as well as the said leaves contacted by the opposed free end of said bowed spring-like leaf. j

RAYMOND COVER.

4 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,771,560 Fageol July 29, 1930 1,788,626 McKee et a1 Jan. 13, 1931 1,870,787 Smith Aug. 9, 1932 2,112,148 Drolet Mar. 22, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 15,853 Australia June 13, 1930 

